Castle Butavia

Castle Butavia- Chapter 4 continued

    Chapter 4 continued

     Ember followed the Captain out of the ballroom as Lord Alric and Prince Frederic led the Princess out into the gardens. He could still feel her as if she were in his mind. He was confused, disoriented by the exchange of emotions that had seemed to flow through her to him. On top of this, he couldn't believe that he had just given his word that he wouldn't hurt these men. How could she have that kind of power over him.

     His mind was starting to clear as they reached the double doors leading out of the ballroom. Ember was gald they were leaving the ballroom there had been too many eyes upon him and it made him uncomfortable. The Captain opened the double doors and motioned Ember to pass through. As he did, he noted the six guards that had been waiting just inside the hall out of sight of those in the ballroom. The Captain closed the doors and stood on the opposite side of Ember and at his signal the other guards fell into place around him.

     Ember almost smiled. Whoever had sent for him was certainly taking a lot of precaution. He would have to be careful and watch his step, he decided. It would not do to be hasty and he really wanted to find out more about the man who had sent for him.    

    They continued down the hall to a corridor and turned to the left. Halfway down they stopped in the middle at the Captain's order. The Captain walked up to the wall and knocked three times, at his knock a partition opened in the wall. The Captain commanded Ember to step inside and as he did the guards followed him in. One of the guards gave Ember a push as they entered which made him stop for a moment. He stared into the guards face for a moment tlll the man looked away then stepped the rest of the way into the room. 

     At a table set in the middle of the room, sat two men, while one wearing a sword and long knife stood behind them. Ember guessed that this was a bodyguard for the King. He moved to the center of the room to stand before the table. Both men looked up, one reacting in surprise and turning to whisper something to the other who nodded. The man who had nodded stood up and addressed Ember.

     "Who are you, young man? I know that you are not of the house of Raven and I know also that your name is not Walen. I make it a point to know of all families of the Lords and Ladies of my kingdom and have verified this with Lord Alberon. What do you here, assassin? Speak!"

     The guards upon hearing these words turned to face Ember and pointed their spears at him even the Captain half drew his sword before the King's words stopped him.

     "Stand down, all of you," the King ordered. "He has not done anything yet. Why are you here? Who has hired you? Count D'ufrin? And who is your target? Me?"

     Ember kind of liked the straight forwardness of this man. There was certainly no beating about the bush here. He would answer him honestly.

     "Your Highness, if my target were you, you would be dead already."

     The Captain drew his sword and started toward Ember. "Like hell," he hissed. "You wouldn't get three paces before I and my men cut you down."

     "Stand down, Captain," the man standing roared. "And be quiet."

     Ember had not even blinked at the drawn blade. He was as cool and calm as if nothing had even happened. "Your Highness, as yet I have not been assigned nor given a target. However, I would guess that this will happen soon."

     The King stood up and moved toward Ember. "Spoken truthfully just like his father would have Lord Alberon. Do you remember? Young man, bare your right arm."

     Ember hesitated then pulled the sleeve up revealing tattoos of a sun with a curved sword upon his wrist and a lion upon his bicep there was also a pattern of stars on the forearm. The King rolled back his sleeve to reveal a matching sun with no sword but a small star beside it and the head of a lion within the sun.

     Ember's eyes widened. It was really hard to surprise a Silwa but Ember had been caught off guard by these. For a moment he stood staring then to the surprise of the Captain and the guards, he dropped down to one knee with his head bowed.

     "Forgive me, Uncle."

Author's note

The title of Uncle in the Silwa tribes is given to those who have been adopted by that individuals family and are shown great respect. The sun tattoo is the mark of the High Chieftan or in Silwa the A'healsi, pronounced like alesea, the star notes the person is adopted into the family and the lion within the star gives the bearer the privilege to go anywhere within the Silwa lands. The lion head is also another sign of the family that has adopted the individual and only those marked by High Chieftans have the privilege to travel anywhere without question.

End of Author's note

     Ember remained kneeling until the King placed a hand on his shoulder.

     "My son, it has been so long. When I last saw you, you were only four. How is your father?"

     "I have not been home for a long time. I am not even sure that he is still alive."

     The King brushed back Ember's shirt collar to reveal a set of crossed swords tattooed into the skin. The mark of the assassin. He couldn't understand what had happened to cause this young man to go this way but he knew that Silwa didn't just set off on such a path easily. Sarizin, Ember's father had been strongly oppossed to such things and those that bore such a mark were outcasts.

     It was with deep regret and sorrow that he spoke his next words to Ember, "I am sorry, my son but I must ask you to leave my kingdom. I will shelter you for the night but you must go in the morning."

     Ember lowered his head in acquiescence, "I am sorry, Uncle. I will leave tonight. There will be no need to shelter me." He turned and walked toward the partition. The King nodded to the Captain who opened the passage way and started to follow Ember out.

     "That won't be necessary, Captain," the King said. "He will leave tonight as he said."

     "What?! You mean that your just going to let him go? An assassin? We have him here now, we can take him down and force him to tell us what he knows."

     The King laughed and shook his head, "Dailin, that boy would kill you. How old are you?"

     Captain Dailin was confused, "What do you mean how old am I? What does that have to do with anything? I'm thirty years of age and still in my prime. I could take him and not even break a sweat."

     "Captain, when you were just starting to train to be a soldier that boy had already fought in his first ranking trial and had already been out with his fathers raiders. Did you happen to note the star pattern upon the boy's arm? They use those stars to inform others of their rank. That way other Silwa that are ranked lower are not so stupid as to challenge them. A challenge among these people usually results in the death of one of the challengers and Captain I will inform you right now that you are not in his rank. Not even close."

     Ember walked toward the ballroom. He was seething inside. Somehow, his sources that were supposed to have all such information had misled him. Someone was going to pay for this and the price would be high. He guaranteed that much.

     Reaching the doors, Ember pushed through them and paid no heed to any in the crowded room as he made his way to the doors leading out to the garden. He had a meeting to attend with the Count. Well, he would attend and just maybe King Ulric would have one less trouble to worry about.

     The people in the ballroom watched as Ember stalked through the center of the room. Those in his way took one look into the eyes of the young man and hastily moved away from him. Ember's face hadn't changed but his eyes were glowing with the red pulsating rush of bloodrage.

ad began to clear from the